Playbooks

HB Gut

Shotgun·Split Slot Open·20
DiveRun Play
Play diagram for HB Gut from Shotgun Split Slot Open in Madden 27

Quick Reference

FormationShotgun

In 7 playbooks

Franchise College Spread OffenseOffenseFranchise HS Spread OffenseOffenseAir Raid Classic OffenseOffenseBengals OffenseOffensePower Run OffenseOffenseShotgun OffenseOffenseNFL Live Bengals OffenseOffense

Breakdown

HB Gut is a downhill run play out of Shotgun Split Slot Open with 20 personnel on the field. The offensive line executes a gut concept, pulling the backside guard through the hole while the fullback and playside blockers seal the interior for the ball carrier to hit a tight A gap or B gap crease. This is a run play designed to attack light boxes and beat base fronts by creating a numbers advantage inside, with the primary read being the pulling guard's kick out block followed by the natural crease it opens up front.

Defensive Reads

Pre snap identify if the Mike linebacker is stacked over the center, since a light box with the Mike shaded away from the play side gives the pulling guard a clean path. Watch for safeties creeping down into the box, which signals run blitz or an eight man front designed to stuff this gut concept before it develops. Key the defensive tackles' first step, if they are crashing hard down the line on snap the play can get blown up before the guard can pull and kick out. User controlled defenders sitting in the hole or spying the gap between the guard and center are the biggest threat to this play, so avoid calling it when you see a defender manually shaded into that interior gap. This play struggles against heavy blitz packages and stacked fronts, but it consistently gains yardage against base 4-3 or 3-4 looks with normal or light box counts.

Usage Tips

Check the box count pre snap and only call HB Gut when the defense shows six or fewer defenders in the box since the pulling guard needs room to work. Use pre-snap motion or a hot route on the slot receiver to bait linebackers into leaning a direction, then run Gut away from that leverage. Pair this with Mtn RPO Alert QB Counter and Power Read from the same set so the defense has to respect both the interior gut action and the perimeter read option, keeping linebackers honest. Save HB Gut for early down situations like first and ten or second and short where defenses are more likely to sit in base personnel instead of stacking the box. If the CPU or opponent starts selling out with A gap blitzes, counter with HB Slip Screen or WR Screen from this same formation to punish the aggression.

Other Plays in Split Slot Open